Young And Bubbly Sivani Sangita All Set To Wow Audiences Yet Again With ‘Dil Mora Manena’

Young And Bubbly Sivani Sangita All Set To Wow Audiences Yet Again With ‘Dil Mora Manena’

Celluloid is always the stuff of dreams. And once every few years, there comes a face that captivates the audience and gives them a reason to fly off to the fantasy land. Talk of fresh faces in Ollywood and the dreamy-eyed Sivani Sangita comes to mind almost instantly.

She mesmerised the audiences with her performance in the song ‘Oh Sunayana’ from her debut movie ‘Sister Sridevi’ last year. Before hitting the silver screen, she wowed the viewers as a child star in three mega TV shows – Uttaradai, Devi and Badhu. Sivani has also worked in films like ‘Mita re Mita’, ‘Pahili Raja’, ‘and Good Boy ’, ‘Mita Basichi mu Bhuta Sathire’ and Lekhu Lekhu Lekhi Deli as a child actor.

Dussehra saw the release of her latest film ‘Prem Kumar’ where she was paired opposite Anubhav Mohanty. The 18-year-old will be seen with Swaraj Barik in Chandi Parjia’s next directorial venture ‘Dil Mora Manena’. MCL caught up with the new heartthrob of Ollywood for an exclusive interview. Excerpts:How Did You Become An Actress?

Acting was my passion since childhood and my aim kept shifting according to my mood (chuckles). My aai (maternal grandmother) used to work in the same office where music director Prashant Padhi worked. I got my first chance in acting through her. I was studying in the second grade when I got the chance to act in a TV serial ‘Uttaradai’ in 2007. Because television consumes more time, I have done fewer films as a child actor.

How Is Being A Child Actor Different From Being An Actor Now?

It is a different phase altogether. As a child actor, I’d come to shoot after school hours and didn’t care much about what was happening. I’d just finish the shoot and go home. But, as an actor today, I have to devote all my time to it, from acting to dubbing and then, promotions. The responsibilities are more. Nevertheless, I get to learn many different and new shades of acting when playing the lead role.How Did You Manage Your Studies With Acting? What Is It Like Being Famous At Such A Young Age?

Well, school has just got over but the memories are all intact. I was loved by all my school teachers because I managed my studies and work effectively. My teachers are still in touch with me. One of my teachers, Mala madam, recently told me that she is proud of me. As a child actor, I did all my homework on the sets. But now my work is more hectic, so have to work harder to manage both the things. I remember shooting till late night for ‘Prem Kumar’ and then giving my 12th board exams the next morning. I was in school when my first film as a main lead in ‘Sister Sridevi’ released. I remember, after the release when I entered the school, I got admiring stares from everyone. I am blessed to get so much love. Also, I am blessed to get a chance to work with legendary actors and directors of our industry at such a young age.

Who Is Your Greatest Strength In your family?

Although my aai always stays with me during my work and my father supports me as well, my mother is my greatest support and strength.How Do You Gel With The Senior Actors?

I learn from everyone including senior actresses like Archita Sahu, Varsha Priyadarshini and Elina Samantaray. I have also worked with legendary actors like Aparajita Mohanty, Mahasweta Ray, Mihir Das, UttamMoahanty and Bijay Mohanty. They are very supportive and inspiring actors.

Any Funny Incidents From The Sets?

I remember shooting with Babushan and Anubhav Mohanty. They are both superstars but very down-to-earth people and have a lot of fun while shooting. The shooting of ‘Sister Sridevi’ at Dhenkanal and ‘Prem Kumar’ at Kashmir was a memorable time for me. Anubhav Mohanty is the funniest guy. He, sometimes, cuts moustache of crew members on set.Tell Us About Your Character In Your Upcoming Film ‘Dil Mora Manena’.

I have worked with great directors like Ashok Pati and Tapas Sargharia in my earlier films. And now, I am working with director Chandi Parija, who is the Guru of Tapas sir. I am glad that with the love of my audience and blessings of God, I am getting such opportunities. In my first two films, my characters were a bit similar to each other – simple and elegant. But in this film, my role is of a girl who is the ‘ladli’ (beloved daughter) of her father, adamant and moody but in the end, becomes very emotional.

What Do You Have To Say About The Plagiarism Accusations That The Film Industry Faces Today?

All other film industries indulge in remakes. It depends on how those remakes are presented. You cannot guess the plot of the film from posters alone. I am fortunate my last two films did well at the box office. I’m hopeful for ‘Dil Mora Manena’. I expect people to come back to Odia films with these new-age ones we are making. At the same time, I’d like to request Odia audiences to watch Odia films. We are making films with a limited budget and we are also trying to do new things. We would always need our viewers’ support for the same.Share Any Interaction With Fans That You Cherish.

It always feels great when someone from the crowd calls me ‘Oye Whistle’, my character’s name in my first film. During the premier of ‘Prem Kumar’ the fans were just crazy taking selfies with me and wanted to watch me live. That was a heavenly feeling.

What Are Your Future Plans?

I don’t know my future, I will do what I feel is good for me. I just completed my 12th from DPS (Delhi Public School) and am pursuing graduation at KIIT, in Journalism and Mass Communication. Acting will always be my passion, but, at the same time, my education will work like a back up for me. Because we all know that practically it’s not possible to remain as the main lead in films always.